Fatigue Crisis? Over 90% Report Burnout
Sophos’ “The Future of Cybersecurity in Asia Pacific and Japan” survey found that burnout is prevalent among cybersecurity teams worldwide, with 85% admitting to experiencing burnout. Almost 1 in 4 (23%) experience this issue ‘frequently,’ while 62% experience it ‘occasionally.’ Cybersecurity teams in Malaysia are particularly stressed, with 91% of cybersecurity professionals admitting to being burnt out.
Burnout significantly impacts how cybersecurity professionals approach their roles.
Click here to read the full reportTop 5 Causes of Cyber Burnout and Fatigue
Sophos, in the same report, identified five of the main causes of burnout among cybersecurity professionals:
• Lack of resources available to support cybersecurity activities.
• Increased pressure from the board and/or executive management.
• Persistent alert overload from tools and systems.
• Monotony doing routine, repetitive tasks.
• A more challenging landscape due to an increase in threat activity and the adoption of new technologies.
The Toll of Burnout on Cybersecurity Professionals
Sophos also discovered that burnout directly compromises an organisation’s cybersecurity posture. In particular, Sophos found that:
• 41% of burnout cybersecurity professionals admitted to not being diligent enough in their performance.
• 34% felt heightened levels of anxiety during an attack, potentially compromising performance.
• 31% experienced feelings of cynicism towards cybersecurity activities and their responsibilities (likely leading to poor performance).
• 30% stated burnout makes them want to either resign or change careers (23% actually tendered their resignation).
In Malaysia:
• 21% said burnout contributed to a cybersecurity breach happening.
• 22% of companies experienced slower-than-average response times because of fatigued cybersecurity teams.
• 4.1 hours per week of business hours per week are lost due to burnout.
• 28% cited burnout and/or fatigue as the reason for resigning from work.
The Role of MDR in Modern Cybersecurity
Managed Detection and Response (MDR) is a service model where a third-party provider, like Sophos, monitors an organisation’s networks, systems, and endpoints to detect and respond to cybersecurity threats. MDR services typically involve:
• Continuous Monitoring. MDR providers use various tools to continuously monitor an organisation’s IT environment for malicious activity.
• Threat Detection. MDR services leverage various technologies to detect threats and malicious activities.
• Incident Investigation. MDR providers investigate incidents to determine their scope and impact.
• Response and Remediation. MDR services include response capabilities—like security controls and backup restoration—to contain and mitigate the impact of security incidents.
• Threat Intelligence Integration. MDR providers incorporate threat intelligence capabilities to enhance their ability to identify emerging threats and patterns of malicious activity.
Organisations can help address burnout by leveraging MDR, delegating to a specialised provider like Sophos threat detection, response, and investigation to free up the organisation’s cybersecurity team.
Sophos MDR: Your Partner in Cybersecurity Resilience
Sophos is a cybersecurity leader that delivers a broad portfolio of advanced products and services to secure users, networks, and endpoints against ransomware, malware, exploits, phishing, and a wide range of other cyber attacks. It is trusted by over 550,000 customers around the world and gives cybersecurity teams the tools they need to do their jobs efficiently and without the headaches that normally come with working in cybersecurity.
Among Sophos’ highly acclaimed solutions is its Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service, which helps ensure superior cybersecurity outcomes for real-world organisations. Named Gartner Customers’ Choice for MDR Services in July 2023, Sophos MDR offers continuous monitoring, detection, and response to cybersecurity threats within an organisation’s network environment, ensuring best-in-class, round-the-clock detection and response against cyber attacks and neutralising suspicious activities before damage is done.
In effect, Sophos MDR supplements your cybersecurity team, providing your organisation with an extra layer of protection without overburdening your IT staff.
Watch the embedded video to learn more about Sophos MDR.